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Rocko Is Taking Rick Ross Off “U.O.E.N.O.”

Update 4/11/2013: Reebok has now, too, severed ties with Rick Ross following the controversy surrounding his "U.O.E.N.O." verse, TMZ reports. The rapper had made a feeble attempt to kind-of apologize in a radio interview and tweet, but it appears as though his glad-handing wasn't enough.

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Rocko will remove Rick Ross' controversial rape lyrics from a forthcoming radio-friendly remix of his single "U.O.E.N.O.," he told New York's Hot 97 yesterday. Rocko says he's collected six verses from high-profile rappers, but has yet to finalize its lineup, rumored to include Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and Young Jeezy:

Because of the type of traction that the record has, as far as radio, all over the country…I have to change it. I have six different verses from very talented, multifaceted artists. Some platinum, some muti-platinum. Some may ever have some bigger accomplishments like Grammys and things of that nature…I can't confirm what artists are gonna be on the remix. Jeezy has recorded a verse, [but] I haven't put the record together yet.

Rocko said Ross' verse was recorded quickly ("When I reached out to him and I told him about the record, I sent it to him and he sent it right back") and that its removal isn't meant as a sign of disrespect. "In life you have to put everything on the scale. If it's not weighing up, you have to do what you have to do…I don't wanna take him off, but one thing that's set in stone, is he's always gonna be on that song…It doesn't matter who I put on the song, that's always gonna be the original version."